Apparatus for positioning a component of an exercise device

ABSTRACT

An exercise device including at least one positionable component configured to be positioned by a user. The exercise device includes a frame to which a collar is mounted. The positionable component includes a member that is slidably received within the collar and may be positioned by sliding the member to a selected position. A locking assembly is coupled to the collar and is operable to lock the member in a selected position within the collar, to release the member from the locked position, and when released, to allow the member to slide within the collar. The locking assembly includes a cam pivotably mounted to the collar and a cam follower assembly selectively biased by the cam against a portion of the member disposed inside the collar. The locking assembly also includes a pair of engagement members disposed inside the collar opposite the cam against which the cam biases the member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/190,139, which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office onJul. 25, 2011. application Ser. No. 13/190,139 is a division of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/628,829, which was filed in the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office on Dec. 1, 2009, and has issued as U.S. Pat.No. 8,021,070. Application Ser. No. 12/628,829 is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/781,182, which was filed in the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office on Jul. 20, 2007, and has issued as U.S.Pat. No. 7,641,600. This application claims priority to each of theaforementioned applications, which are incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This application is not the subject of any federally sponsored researchor development.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

There have been no joint research agreements entered into with any thirdparties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed generally to exercise devices and moreparticularly to apparatuses for positioning positionable components,such as seats and handlebars, of exercise devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Many exercise devices, such as stationary bicycles, include a frame uponwhich adjustably positionable components such as a seat assembly,handlebar assembly, and the like are mounted. Because users of exercisedevices come in all shapes and sizes it is often necessary to adjust theposition of these components for a particular user. In other words, itis often necessary to customize an exercise device for use by aparticular user by selecting a position for each positionable componentthat is acceptable to the user. Further, because exercise devices arefrequently operated in health club or other multiple user settings, theexercise device may be customized between successive users multipletimes a day.

Many exercise devices include one or more height adjustment mechanismsthat may be used to raise and lower various height adjustable componentsof the exercise device. For example, an exercise device may include oneor more height adjustment mechanisms configured to lock the heightadjustable component(s) at an initial height, unlock the heightadjustable component allowing a user of the device to move the heightadjustable component to a selected different height by raising orlowering the height adjustable component, and subsequently lock theheight adjustable component at the selected height. Generally, theheight adjustment mechanism is configured to be locked and unlocked bythe user. Height adjustment components for a stationary bike typicallyinclude seats and handlebars.

Many exercise devices also include other adjustment mechanisms that maybe used to modify the position of one or more of the positionablecomponents relative to the frame and one another. For example, astationary bike may include mechanisms configured to set the forward orrearward position of the seat relative or of the handlebars relative tothe frame and to each other.

While exercising, a user can exert a great deal of force on thecomponents of an exercise device. Consequently, height, horizontal andother adjustment mechanisms must prevent the positionable componentsfrom moving in response to these forces. In particular, the handlebarsand seat of a stationary bike are subjected to substantial twisting andtorsion forces as the user moves back and forth while operating thedevice. Therefore, a need exists for adjustment mechanism operable toposition a positionable component of an exercise device and maintainthat position of the positionable component during use. A further needexists for adjustment mechanisms that may be easily operated by a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary exercise deviceincorporating an embodiment of a mounting assembly.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting assembly of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting assembly of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting assembly of FIG.2 as viewed from another side.

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded side elevational view of the mountingassembly of FIG. 2 in which the locking assembly of the mountingassembly has been exploded.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front perspective view of the mounting assembly ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of FIG. 2taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of FIG. 2taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG. 6 illustrating the handle ofthe locking assembly positioned in a locked position.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a wear plate of the mountingassembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a handle, amechanical fuse, a force distribution member, and a guard member of thelocking assembly of the mounting assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting assembly of FIG. 2taken substantially along line 8-8 of FIG. 6 illustrating the handle ofthe locking assembly positioned in an unlocked position.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of an eccentric pivot pin of themounting assembly of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is illustrated in one embodiment in FIG. 1 in theform of an exercise device 10. The exercise device 10 includes a frame20 having a base portion 22 disposed for positioning on the ground andsupporting a plurality of upwardly extending frame members 24A, 248,24C, and 24D. The frame members 24A, 248, and 24C may be constructedfrom sections of hollow tubing. One or more positionable components,such as a seat assembly 30, handlebar assembly 40, and the like aremounted to the frame 20. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the seatassembly 30 is mounted to an open end portion 26A the hollow framemember 24A and the handlebar assembly 40 is mounted to an open endportion 26B of the hollow frame member 24B.

For illustrative purposes only, the exercise device 10 is depicted inthe figures as a stationary exercise bike. Therefore, the exercisedevice 10 depicted includes pedals 42 rotatably mounted to the framemember 24C. The pedals 42 are rotationally coupled to a flywheel orexercise wheel 44 to transfer rotational energy applied to the pedals 42by the user to the exercise wheel 44. A resistance-producing device 46is operably coupled to the exercise wheel 44 to provide an adjustableamount of resistance to the rotation of the exercise wheel 44. The usermay adjust the resistance-producing device 46 to make the pedals 42easier or more difficult to turn, thereby decreasing or increasing theamount of effort required to rotate the exercise wheel 44 andcorrespondingly the amount of effort required to rotate the pedals 42.In this manner, the user may determine the difficulty of his/her workoutobtained using the exercise device 10. While the exercise device 10 isdepicted in the figures as a stationary exercise bicycle, those ofordinary skill in the art appreciate that other exercise devices such aselliptical exercise machines, treadmills, strength/resistance trainingequipment, and other type products incorporate positionable componentsand the present invention is not limited to a particular type ofapparatus.

In the embodiment depicted in the drawings, the seat assembly 30 and thehandlebar assembly 40 are mounted to the frame 20 using substantiallyidentical mounting assemblies 50 and 60, respectively. Therefore, onlythe mounting assembly 60 will be described in detail. Further, with theapplication of ordinary skill in the art, the mounting assembly 60 maybe adapted for use with various positionable components withoutdeparting from the present invention and such embodiments are within thescope of the present invention. Non-limiting examples of these variouspositionable components include a seat configured for fore and aftpositioning, handlebars configured for fore and aft positioning,electronic devices, such as an electronic display console, and the like.

Mounting Assembly 60

Referring to FIG. 2, the mounting assembly 60 includes a collar 70, anadjustably movable member 80, and a locking assembly 100. In theembodiment depicted in the figures, the collar 70 is mounted to theframe member 24B of the frame 20 and the member 80 is mounted to thepositionable component, which with respect to the mounting assembly 60is the handlebar assembly 40 (see FIG. 1). As is apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art, in various embodiments, the member 80 may bea component of the positionable component. Those of ordinary skill inthe art also appreciate that the member 80 may include a frame member(not shown) and the positionable component may be mounted to the collar70 and configured to slide along the frame member and such embodimentsare within the scope of the present invention.

Collar 70

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the collar 70 has a generally hollow shapedefined by a sidewall 102. The sidewall 102 defines an interior channel104 configured to slidably receive the member 80 and permit it to slidelongitudinally therein upward and downward. The sidewall 102 extendsfrom a top edge portion 106 to a bottom edge portion 108.

As shown in the drawings, the collar 70 is mounted to the end portion26B of the frame member 24B. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, the sidewall102 of the collar 70 includes an insert portion 110 configured to beinserted into the open end portion 26B of the hollow frame member 24B.However, as is appreciated by those of ordinary skill, the collar 70 maybe coupled to the end portion 26B of the frame member 24B using anymethod known in the art and the invention is not limited by the methodchosen. Further, the frame member 24B need not be hollow to effect sucha coupling and embodiments in which the frame member 24B is solid orpartially filled are also within the scope of the present invention. Thecollar 70 may also be formed integral with the frame member 24B.

A through-hole 120 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) is formed in the sidewall 102between the top edge portion 106 and the bottom edge portion 108. Thethrough-hole 120 may be located opposite the insert portion 110 alongthe sidewall 102 of the collar 70. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the collar70 includes a housing 130 mounted to the sidewall 102, constructedaround the throughhole 120 (see FIGS. 7 and 8), and configured to housethe locking assembly 100. The housing 130 includes a pair of spacedapart and confronting lateral walls 134 and 136 positioned to flank thethrough-hole 120. The housing 130 may include a pair of spaced apart andconfronting upper and lower transverse walls 138 and 140 positioned toflank the through-hole 120 and extend between the lateral walls 134 and136. The walls 134, 136, 138, and 140 may combine to form a generallychannel-shaped structure that is open at both ends and has a generallyrectangular cross-sectional shape. Referring to FIG. 7, the housing 130has a proximal open end 150 adjacent to the member 80 disposed insidethe collar 70 and a distal open end 152 spaced outwardly from the member80.

The walls 134 and 136 each include an aperture 154 and 156,respectively. The apertures 154 and 156 are juxtaposed with one anotheracross the through-hole 120 and aligned by their centers. The apertures154 and 156 may have a generally circular shape. In the embodimentdepicted in the figures, the aperture 154 has a diameter that issubstantially smaller than the diameter of the aperture 156. However,embodiments in which the aperture 154 has a diameter substantiallygreater than or equal to the diameter of the aperture 156 are alsowithin the scope of the present invention. The diameter of the aperture154 may be about 0.2 inches to about 0.8 inches and the diameter of theaperture 156 may be about 0.2 inches to about 0.8 inches.

Along its top edge portion 106, the collar 70 may include one or morerecesses 157 each configured to receive one or more tabs 158 of a wearplate 160 (described below). While the wear plate 160 is illustrated ashanging by the tabs 158 from the recesses 157, those of ordinary skillreadily appreciate that alternate structures may be used to maintain thewear plate 160 inside the interior channel 104 of the collar 70 and suchalternate structures are within the scope of the present invention.

The collar 70 may constructed from any suitable material known in theart including plastics such as Polyoxymethylene/Delrin (POM), Nylon 6and Nylon 66 including MoS2(Molybdenum Sulfide) and PTFE (Nylon) filled,and the like, as well as metals such as brass, zinc, and the like. Theinvention is not limited by the material used to construct the collar70.

As may best be viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the embodiment depicted inthe figures, the wear plate 160 is mounted inside the collar 70 betweenthe sidewall 102 of the collar 70 and the member 80. The wear plate 160may be mounted adjacent the insert portion 110 (see FIG. 7) and oppositethe through-hole 120 along the sidewall 102. Referring to FIG. 9, thewear plate 160 may be generally I-shaped having an elongated portion 162flanked by a top portion 164 and a bottom portion 166. As is appreciatedby those of ordinary skill in the art, the wear plate 160 mayconstructed using alternative shapes including elongated shapes such asrectangular, oval, elliptical, triangular, amoeba, arbitrary, and thelike. The wear plate 160 may be contoured to conform to the shape of themember 80.

In the embodiment depicted in the drawings, the wear plate 160 is bentlongitudinally to define a longitudinally extending midsection 170flanked on one side by a first flange 172 and on the other side by asecond flange 174. An outside angle “θ1” is defined between the firstflange 172 and the midsection 170. An outside angle “θ2” is definedbetween the second flange 174 and the midsection 170. The angle “θ1” mayrange from about 1 degree to about 60 degrees. In some embodiments, theangle “θ1” may range from about 5 degree to about 45 degrees. The angle“θ2” may be substantially equal to the angle “θ1.”

A portion 180 of the first flange 172 and a portion 182 of the secondflange 174 are located in the top portion 164 of the wear plate 160.Similarly, a portion 184 of the first flange 172 and a portion 186 ofthe second flange 174 are located in the bottom portion 166 of the wearplate 160. The portions 180, 182, 184, and 186 are arranged within thecollar 70 to contact the member 80 disposed in the interior channel 104of the collar 70. The portions 180, 182, 184, and 186 bear against themember 80 and resist rotation thereby within the collar 70. In theembodiment depicted in the figures, the midsection 170 is spaced fromthe member 80 and does not contact it.

The portions 180 and 182 form a pair of upper engagement members orcontacts with the member 80 and the portions 184 and 186 form a pair oflower engagement members or contacts with the member 80. However, it isappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, that the upperengagement members or contacts may be formed by two separate spacedapart members (not shown) that are not connected together and suchembodiments are within the scope of the present invention. Similarly,the lower engagement members or contacts may be formed by two separatespaced apart members (not shown) that are not connected together andsuch embodiments are within the scope of the present invention. Thelocking assembly 100 provides a pair of intermediate movable engagementmembers or contacts (described below) with the member 80 that arelocated between the upper and lower pairs of engagement members. Incombination, these three pairs of engagement members maintain the member80 in a substantially stationary position inside the collar 70 when thelocking assembly 100 is in a locked position.

One of the tabs 158 of the wear plate 160 may be coupled to each of theportions 180 and 182. Each of the tabs 158 may extend outwardly from theportion (180 or 182) to which it is coupled and into one of the recesses157 of the collar 70. The tabs 158 may bear against a portion (notshown) of the inside of the recess 157 into which it is received andhelp bias the portions 180 and 182 against the member 80.

The wear plate 160 may be constructed from any material known in the artincluding Teflon, steel coated with Teflon, and the like as well as fromany material suitable for constructing the collar 70. The materialselected may be coated with or impregnated by Teflon, molybnum sulfide,and the like. Preferably, the material used to construct the wear plate160 is resilient enough to bear against the member 80 without plasticdeformation when the locking assembly 100 is in the locked position.Further, the wear plate 160 may be constructed from a material having alow enough coefficient of friction to allow the member 80 to slidealongside it when the locking assembly 100 is not in the lockedposition. The wear plate 160 may be about 0.03 inches to about 1.0inches thick. In various embodiments, the wear plate 160 may be about0.06 inches to about 0.25 inches thick.

Member 80

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the member 80 may be generally elongated andhave a portion 210 configured to be slidably received inside theinterior channel 104 of the collar 70. The member 80 may be constructedfrom a section 216 of hollow tube having an open end 218 (see FIG. 3)and a generally elliptical cross-sectional shape (best viewed in FIG.7). Like any ellipse, the elliptical cross-sectional shape of the member80 has a major axis “λ” extending across its widest portion from a firstend portion 220 to a second end portion 222 that bifurcates theelliptical cross-sectional shape into a first side portion 224 and asecond side portion 226. The portions 180 and 182 of the wear plate 160,which form a pair of upper engagement members with the member 80, are incontact with the first side portion 224 and the second side portion 226,respectively. Likewise, the portions 184 and 186 of the wear plate 160,which form a pair of lower engagement members with the member 80, are incontact with the first side portion 224 and the second side portion 226,respectively. The elliptical cross-sectional shape may allow some degreeof rotation of the member 80 within the collar 70 for the purposes ofrotational adjustment. However, the placement of the upper and lowerpairs of engagement members (i.e., portions 180, 182, 184, and 186) onthe first and second side portions 224 and 226 resist larger undesirablerotation of the member 80 within the collar 70 during use of theexercise device 10.

As is appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the member 80may have an alternate cross-sectional shape such as circular, square,rectangular, octagonal, triangular, arbitrary, and the like. Further,the member 80 may be solid or partially solid. The invention is notlimited by the cross-sectional shape or the presence of or absence ofmaterial(s) inside the member 80. The member 80 may be constructed usingany suitable material known in the art including steel, aluminum,plastic, and the like.

Optionally, a cap or plug 227, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, may beinserted into the lower open end 218 of the member 80. The plug 227 maybe configured to apply an outwardly directed force to the inside of thesection 216 of hollow tube thereby preventing removal of the plug 227from the open end 218 of the section 216 of hollow tube. The plug 227may have a lip 228 configured to prevent the member 80 from beingslidably removed from the collar 70 in the upward direction.

Returning to FIGS. 7 and 8, when the portion 210 of the member 80 isslidably received inside the interior channel 104 of the collar 70, avariable selected portion 230 of the member 80 is disposed inside thecollar 70. The through-hole 120 provides access for the locking assembly100 to an exposed portion 232 of the selected portion 230 of the member80 disposed inside the collar 70.

Locking Assembly 100

The locking assembly 100 is operable to lock the member 80 within thecollar 70 thereby preventing the member 80 from sliding within thecollar 70 and maintaining the member 80 in a substantially stationaryposition relative to the collar 70. While the member 80 is locked withinthe collar 70, the user may operate the exercise device 10 without themember 80 sliding within the collar 70 and possibly injuring the user.The locking assembly 100 is also operable to release the locked member80 thereby allowing the member 80 to slide within the collar 70. Whilethe member 80 is released, the user may slide the member 80 inside thecollar 70 to position the positionable component (in this case thehandlebar assembly 40) in a desired position.

As shown in FIG. 10, the locking assembly 100 includes a handle 300 anda movable force distribution assembly 304. The movable forcedistribution assembly 304 comprises a mechanical fuse 310, a forcedistribution member 320, and a guard member 330. Returning to FIGS. 3and 4, the handle 300 is pivotally mounted to the housing 130 of thecollar 70. The handle 300 may be selectively pivoted into and out of alocked position. The handle 300 is illustrated in the locked position inFIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 8, in which the handle 300 is illustrated as beinglocated in its lowest achievable position. The handle 300 is illustratedin the unlocked locked or released position in FIG. 11, in which thehandle 300 is illustrated as being located in a position between itshighest and lowest achievable positions. While the handle 300 is in thelocked position, the member 80 is locked inside the collar 70 andprevented from sliding therein. In other words, the member 80 ismaintained in a substantially stationary position relative to the collar70. When the handle 300 is not in the locked position as is the case inFIG. 11, the member 80 may slide within the collar 70 and be positionedby the user.

The handle 300 may be transitioned out of the locked position depictedin FIG. 8 and into the unlocked position depicted in FIG. 11 by pivotingthe handle 300 in the direction indicated by arrow “A.” The handle 300may be transitioned into the locked position depicted in FIG. 8 from theunlocked position depicted in FIG. 11 by pivoting the handle 300 in thedirection indicated by arrow “B.”

As may best be viewed with reference to FIGS. 2, 5, 10, and 11, thehandle 300 includes a grip portion 340 coupled to a biasing portion 350.The grip portion 340 exits the distal open end 152 of the housing 130and extends outwardly therefrom allowing the user to grasp the gripportion 340. The biasing portion 350 is housed inside the housing 130.The user pivots the handle 300 and thereby the biasing portion 350 bygrasping and pivoting the grip portion 340 in the directions indicatedby arrows “A” and “B” depicted in FIGS. 2, 6, 8, and 11. The handle 300may be constructed using any materials known in the art includingrubberized steel, plastic, aluminum, and the like.

The biasing portion 350 may include a substantially cylindrically shapedcam 354 having an eccentric open-ended channel 358 extendinglongitudinally therethough. The channel 358 may be located adjacent tothe grip portion 340 of the handle 300. Like all cams, the cam 354converts the rotary circumferentially directed force of the handle 300imparted by the user into a linearly inward directed biasing force. Thebiasing force is applied to a cam follower assembly such as the forcedistribution assembly 304 (see FIG. 11). With respect to the embodimentdepicted in the figures, the biasing force exerted by the cam is applieddirectly to the mechanical fuse 310 which transmits the force to theforce distribution assembly 304.

As may be best viewed in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 10, the mechanical fuse 310is generally planar and located inwardly from the handle 300 within thehousing 130. The mechanical fuse 310 has an outwardly facing surface 370adjacent to and contacted by the biasing portion 350 of the handle 300,when the handle 300 is moved toward the locked position (see FIGS. 1, 2,6, and 8). When the handle 300 is in the locked position, the biasingportion 350 of the handle 300 is oriented in a biasing position in whichthe biasing portion 350 contacts the surface 370 of the mechanical fuse310 and exerts the linearly inward directed force of the cam 354thereupon. If this force exceeds a predetermined threshold, 15 themechanical fuse 310 may deform or fail, thereby preventing damage to theother components of the locking assembly 100, the collar 70, and/or themember 80.

The mechanical fuse 310 may be constructed from any suitable materialknown in the art including steel, aluminum, re-enforced plastic, and thelike. The dimensions of the mechanical fuse 310 may be determined by theamount of force required to cause the mechanical fuse 310 to deform orfail. By way of non-limiting example, the mechanical fuse 310 may be asquare plate having a height “H1” and width “W1” of about 1.15 inches toabout 0.95 inches and a thickness “T” of about 0.15 inches.

The mechanical fuse 310 translates at least a portion of the forceapplied to it by the biasing portion 350 of the handle 300 to the forcedistribution member 320, which in turn distributes the linearly directedforce to the guard member 330. As is apparent to those of ordinaryskill, in alternate embodiments, the mechanical fuse 310 may be omittedand the biasing portion 350 may apply the linearly directed forcedirectly to the force distribution member 320 or to the guard member330. In other words, in such embodiments, the functionality of a camfollower is provided by the force distribution member 320 or the guardmember 330. Embodiments in which the biasing portion 350 applies thelinearly directed force directly to the guard member 330 may include oromit the force distribution member 320.

The force distribution member 320 is configured to transfer forceapplied to it by the cam 354 of the biasing portion 350 (via theoptional mechanical fuse 310) to the member 80 (via the optional guardmember 330, described below). The force distribution member 320 includesan outwardly facing face 378 having a recess 380 configured to receive aportion 382 (see FIGS. 8 and 11) of the mechanical fuse 310 formedtherein. Turning to FIG. 10, the force distribution member 320 includesan inwardly facing face 388 opposing the outwardly facing face 378 andfacing toward the portion 230 of the member 80 disposed inside thecollar 70 (see FIGS. 7 and 8). The force distribution member 320includes a first side 390 extending between the outwardly facing face378 and the inwardly facing face 388 and a second side 392 opposing thefirst side 390 and extending between the outwardly facing face 378 andthe inwardly facing face 388. The recess 380 may extend the full width“W2” of the force distribution member 320 defined between the first side390 and the second side 392 and may be open along the first side 390 andthe second side 392.

The inwardly facing face 388 has at least one inwardly extendingprojection. In the embodiment depicted in the figures, the inwardlyfacing face 388 has a first longitudinally extending projection 400spaced laterally from a second longitudinally extending projection 402.The projections 400 and 402 depicted in the drawings have a generallyV-shaped cross-sectional shape that narrows as the projections extendinwardly toward the member 80. The first longitudinally extendingprojection 400 may be formed along the first side 390 of the forcedistribution member 320 and the second longitudinally extendingprojection 402 may be formed along the second side 392 of the forcedistribution member 320. A surface 404 may extend along a portion of theinwardly facing face 388 between the projections 400 and 402. The firstprojection 400 has a distal edge portion 406 spaced inwardly from thesurface 404 and the second projection 402 has a distal edge portion 408spaced inwardly from the surface 404.

The first projection 400 has a tapered surface 410 that extends from thesurface 404 to the distal edge portion 406 of the first projection 400.The second projection 402 has a tapered surface 412 that extends fromthe surface 404 to the distal edge portion 408 of the second projection402. As may best be viewed in FIG. 7, the tapered surfaces 410 and 412are configured so that a portion of each engages through the guardmember 330 first and second portions 414 and 416 of the member 80,respectively. The projections 400 and 402 are configured so that thedistal edge portions 406 and 408, respectively, are spaced from and donot engage the member 80. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, theprojections 400 and 402 are configured so that the distal edge portions406 and 408, respectively, are spaced from and do not engage the guardmember 330.

In the embodiment depicted in the figures, portions of the guard member330 are positioned between the force distribution member 320 and themember 80. However, the general configuration and basic function of thetapered surfaces 410 and 412 are not changed by the intervening portionsof the guard member 330. In other words, the size, shape, and contour ofthe tapered surfaces 410 and 412 are determined at least in part by theconfiguration of the member 80. Further, the portions of the guardmember 330 positioned between the force distribution member 320 and themember 80 may simply conform to the tapered surfaces 410 and 412.

Turning to FIGS. 4, 5, and 8, the recess 380 of the force distributionmember 320 may include an interior recess 420 that forms a cavity 422under the mechanical fuse 310 when the mechanical fuse 310 is receivedinside the recess 380. The mechanical fuse 310 may bend or deform intothe cavity 422 when pressure is applied to the mechanical fuse 310 bythe biasing portion 350 of the handle 300. The cavity 422 may extend thefull width “W2” of the force distribution member 320 and may be openalong the first side 390 and second side 392.

The force distribution member 320 may be constructed from any suitablematerial known in the art including steel, aluminum, plastic, and thelike. By way of non-limiting example, the force distribution member 320may have a height “H2” of about 1.0 inches to about 4.0 inches, width“W2” of about 0.75 inches to about 3.0 inches, and a thickness “T2” ofabout 0.4 inches to about 1.5 inches.

Turning to FIGS. 3, 4, and 10, the guard member 330 has an open-endedinterior cavity 440 having an outwardly facing opening 442. Theoutwardly facing opening 442 is configured to receive the forcedistribution member 320 therethrough into the interior cavity 440. Theinterior cavity 440 generally conforms to at least a portion of theforce distribution member 320. The interiorcavity 440 may be definedbetween a pair of opposing sidewalls 450 and 452 coupled together at oneend by a top wall 456 and at the other end by a bottom wall 458 opposingthe top wall 456. The guard member 330 also includes a contoured portion460 configured to be positioned adjacent to the portion 232 of themember 80 disposed inside the collar 70 (see FIG. 7).

Each of the projections 400 and 402 of the force distribution member 320nests inside a substantially hollow portion 462 and 464, respectively,of the contoured portion 460 of the guard member 330. Each of theportions 462 and 464 has a generally V-shaped cross-sectional shapeconfigured to receive one of the projections 400 and 402 fully andconform to the generally V-shaped cross-sectional shape of theprojections 400 and 402. The hollow portion 462 includes a tapered guardwall 472 and the hollow portion 464 includes tapered guard wall 474.When the force distribution member 320 is received fully inside theinterior cavity 440 of the guard member 330, the projections 400 and 402are nested inside the hollow portions 462 and 464, respectively.Further, the tapered guard wall 472 is adjacent and conforms to thetapered surface 410, and the tapered guard wall 474 is adjacent andconforms to the tapered surface 412. The tapered guard walls 472 and 474may be about 0.03 inches to about 0.5 inches thick.

An opening 475 may be disposed between the hollow portions 462 and 464of the contoured portion 460 of the guard member 330. The opening 475may help ensure that the tapered surfaces 410 and 412 bear against thetapered guard walls 472 and 474, respectively, of the guard member 330when the force distribution member 320 is received inside the guardmember 330. The opening 475 may be positions so that the surface 404does not bear against the inside of the cavity 440 in a manner thatprevents or interferes with contact between the tapered surfaces 410 and412 and the tapered guard walls 472 and 474, respectively, of the guardmember 330.

When the locking assembly 100 is assembled inside the housing 130, theguard wall 472 is disposed between the tapered surface 410 and the firstportion 414 of the member 80 and the guard wall 474 is disposed betweenthe tapered surface 412 and the second portion 416 of the member 80. Thetapered guard walls 472 and 474 are configured so that a portion of eachengages the first and second portion 414 and 416 of the member 80,respectively. Each of the portions 462 and 464 includes a distal edgeportion 476 and 478, respectively. As may best be viewed in FIG. 7, theportions 462 and 464 are configured so that the distal edge portions 476and 478, respectively, are spaced from and do not engage the member 80.

The force distribution member 320 may be received inside the interiorcavity 440 of the guard member 330 with the mechanical fuse 310 disposedinside the recess 380 of the force distribution member. The sidewalls450 and 452 of the guard member 330 may include one or more outwardlyextending fingers 488. Each of the fingers 488 may include a hook or tab490 that extends inward. Each of the tabs 490 has a lower surface 492configured to bear against the outwardly facing surface 370 of themechanical fuse 310 and thereby maintain the mechanical fuse 310 withinthe recess 380 of the force distribution member 320 and the forcedistribution member within the interior cavity 440 of the guard member330.

In the embodiment depicted in the figures, the force distribution member320 and the mechanical fuse 310 snap inside the guard member 330 forminga snap fit between the force distribution member 320, the mechanicalfuse 310, and the guard member 330. However, it is appreciated by thoseof ordinary skill in the art that alternate methods may be used toassemble two or more of these components together. For example, themechanical fuse 310 may be glued to the force distribution member 320using a suitable adhesive, the force distribution member 320 may beglued inside the guard member 330 using a suitable adhesive, the guardmember 330 may be molded around the force distribution member 320 usingover-molding technologies, and the like. The invention is not limited bythe method used to assemble two or more of the force distribution member320, the mechanical fuse 310, and the guard member 330 together. Inalternate embodiments, one or more of the force distribution member 320,the mechanical fuse 310, and the guard member 330 is/are unattached tothe other components.

The guard member 330 may function as a guard or sleeve for the forcedistribution member 320 and is configured to protect it and/or themember 80 from damage that would be caused by repeated contact betweenthe force distribution member and the member. As is appreciated by thoseof ordinary skill, contact between the guard member 330 and the member80 may be static and/or dynamic (e.g., sliding) in nature. Therefore,the guard member 330 may be configured to protect the force distributionmember 320 and/or the member 80 from damage caused by static and/ordynamic (e.g., sliding) contact between the force distribution member320 and the member 80. In some embodiments, the guard member 330 may beconstructed from a less expensive material making its wear or damagemore desirable than wear or damage to the force distribution member 320and/or member 80. The guard member 330 may be constructed from anysuitable material known in the art including plastic, rubber, and thelike.

Connector 600

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, the locking assembly 100 is mounted tothe walls 134 and 136 of the housing 130 by a connector 600. Theconnector 600 includes an eccentric pivot pin 610 that extends througheach of the apertures 154 and 156 and across the through-hole 120.Turning to FIGS. 12, the eccentric pivot pin 610 has an eccentricportion 620 flanked by a first end portion 630 and a second end portion640. The eccentric pivot pin 610 has two axes of rotation. The firstaxis corresponds to the longitudinal center axis “α” of the eccentricpivot pin 610. The eccentric portion 620 is eccentric with respect tothe longitudinal center axis “α” and each of the first end portion 630and the second end portion 640 are concentric with respect to thelongitudinal center axis “α.” The second axis of rotation is alongitudinal center axis “β” of the eccentric portion 620.

Returning to FIGS. 3, 4, and 7, the first end portion 630 is receivedinside the aperture 154 and is configured to rotate therein about thelongitudinal center axis “α.” The eccentric portion 620 extends throughthe open-ended channel 358 formed in the cam 354 of the handle 300. Whenpivoting the handle 300 into and out of the locked position, the handle300 pivots about the eccentric portion 620 of the eccentric pivot pin610. The second end portion 640 is received inside the aperture 156 andis configured to rotate about the longitudinal center axis “α” therein.

The eccentric portion 620, the first end portion 630, and the second endportion 640 may all be substantially cylindrically shaped.Alternatively, one or both of the first end portion 630 and the secondend portion 640 may be disk shaped. In the embodiment depicted in thedrawings, the first end portion 630 has a larger diameter than thesecond end portion 640. Because the pivot pin 610 does not rotate whenthe handle 300 is pivoted, the first end portion 630 and the second endportion 640 may have alternate shapes such as square, hexagonal,octagonal, and the like which necessitate removing them from theapertures 154 and 156 to rotate the pivot pin 610 relative to thehousing 130.

The first end portion 630 has an enlarged head 680. As may best beviewed in FIG. 12, the underside 684 of the head 680 has a plurality ofteeth 688 formed therein and arranged radially around the first endportion 630. Turning to FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7, the connector 600 includesa generally disk-shaped plate 700 mounted to the housing 130. Thedisk-shaped plate 700 is mounted over the aperture 154 and has anaperture 704 (see FIG. 3) formed therein to provide an ingress orentryway into the aperture 154. The disk-shaped plate 700 has aplurality of teeth 710 formed on its outside surface 720. The teeth 710are arranged radially around the aperture 704. When the eccentric pivotpin 610 is fully received inside the aperture 154, the teeth 688 formedon the underside 684 of the head 680 mate with the teeth 710 formed onthe outside surface 720 of the disk-shaped plate 700, and therebyprevent the eccentric pivot pin 610 from rotating within the apertures154 and 156. The disk-shaped plate 700 may be held in place by the head680 of the pivot pin 610.

Turning to FIG. 12, the second end portion 640 of the eccentric pivotpin 610 has an open-ended threaded channel 730 extending inwardly alongthe longitudinal center axis “α.” The connector 600 includes a threadedbolt 750 (see FIG. 7) having a head portion 754 and a threaded portion758 configured to be inserted and threaded into the channel 730. Tocouple the connector 600 to the housing 130, the eccentric pivot pin 610is inserted into the aperture 154, across the through-hole 120, and intothe aperture 156. Then, the threaded portion 758 of the threaded bolt750 is threaded into the channel 730. The head portion 754 is too largeto be received inside the aperture 156 and remains outside the housing130 when the threaded portion 758 is inside the channel 730.

The threaded portion 758 may be rotated within the channel 730 totighten and loosen the threaded connection between the threaded portion758 and the channel 730, thereby drawing the teeth 688 formed on theunderside 684 of the head 680 into and out of engagement with the teeth710 formed on its outside surface 720 of the disk-shaped plate 700. Whenthe teeth are disengaged from the teeth 710, the head 680 may be rotatedto determine the rotational position of the eccentric portion 620 of theeccentric pivot pin 610. Because the eccentric portion 620 is eccentric,rotating it about the longitudinal center axis “α” modifies the locationof the longitudinal center axis “β” within the housing 130.

The magnitude of the linearly directed force applied by the cam 354 tothe other components of the locking assembly 100, the collar 70, and/orthe member 80 may be adjusted by rotating the first end portion 630 andthe second end portion 640 to a selected position within the apertures154 and 156, respectively. The first end portion 630 and the second endportion 640 may be rotated by rotating the head 680 using any methodknown in the art. In the embodiment depicted in the drawings, the head680 includes a hexagonally shaped cavity 760 (see FIG. 2) configured toreceive a hexagonal head of a screwdriver (not shown), which may be usedto rotate the head 680 of the eccentric pivot pin 610. Because thehandle 300 pivots about the longitudinal center axis “β” modifying itslocation also modifies the position of the handle 300 relative to thecollar 70. Tightening the threaded bolt 750 in the channel 730, engagesthe teeth 688 with the teeth 710 and maintains the first end portion 630and the second end portion 640 within the apertures 154 and 156 in theselected position, thereby maintaining the handle 300 in a selectedposition relative to the collar 70.

The connector 600 may be uncoupled from the housing 130 by removing thethreaded portion 758 of the threaded bolt 750 from the channel 730.Then, withdrawing the eccentric pivot pin 610 from the apertures 154 and156. A lock washer 770 is disposed around the threaded portion 758between the head portion 754 and the wall 134.

The disk-shaped plate 700 may include symbols 702 (see FIG. 2), such asplus sign, minus sign, arrows, and the like to indicate the direction ofadjustment. One or more slots (not shown) may be disposed in a portionof the sidewall 136 under the disk-shaped plate 700. The disk-shapedplate 700 may include one or more projection configured to be receivedinto the slot(s). To adjust the rotational position of the disk-shapedplate 700 relative to the sidewall 136, the particular slot(s) intowhich the projection(s) are inserted may be modified. In other words,the projection(s) on the underside of the disk-shaped plate 700 may bedisengaged from the slot(s), the disk-shaped plate 700 rotated, and theprojection(s) in the underside of the disk-shaped plate 700 reinsertedinto different slot(s).

Optional Covers

Turning to FIGS. 3-6, the locking assembly 100 may include an optionalcover 800. The cover 800 may have a pair of sidewalls 812 and 814 thatflank the biasing portion 350 of the handle 300. The sidewalls 812 and814 each include an aperture 822 and 824, respectively, that are alignedwith the apertures 154 and 156, respectively, and the open ends of thechannel 358 when the locking assembly 100 is assembled inside thehousing 130. In this manner, the eccentric pivot pin 610 may extendthrough the aperture 154, the aperture 822, the channel 358, aperture824, and the aperture 156. The sidewalls 812 and 814 may be constructedfrom a suitable material known in the art including steel, aluminum, andthe like. The sidewalls 812 and 814 may be coupled to a contoureddecorative portion 830 configured to close a portion of the distal openend 152 of the housing 130. The cover 800 may include an aperture 834through which the grip portion 340 of the handle 300 may exit thehousing 130. The decorative portion 830 may be constructed from anysuitable material known in the art including rubber, plastic, and thelike. By way of example, the cover 800 may be constructed by insertingsidewalls 812 and 814 constructed of steel into the decorative portion830 constructed from molded rubber.

Still with reference to FIGS. 3-6, the mounting assembly 60 may includean optional generally oval-shaped cover plate 900. The cover plate 900is configured to rest upon the top edge portion 106 of the collar 70.The cover plate 900 includes an aperture 910 configured to permit theportion 210 of the member 80 to pass therethrough and into the collar70. As is apparent to those of ordinary skill, the general shape of theaperture 910 may correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the portion210 of the member 80. In the embodiment depicted in the drawings, theaperture 910 has a generally elliptical inside shape corresponding tothe generally elliptical cross-sectional shape of the portion 210 of themember 80. The cover plate 900 may be affixed to the top edge portion106 of the collar 70 by one or more fasteners 920, such as screws,bolts, and the like that extend into the sidewall 102 of the collar 70.One or more holes 930 may be formed in the sidewall 102 of the collar 70and configured to receive the fasteners 920 therein.

The foregoing described embodiments depict different componentscontained within, or connected with, different other components. It isto be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary,and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented whichachieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangementof components to achieve the same functionality is effectively“associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, anytwo components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality canbe seen as “associated with” each other such that the desiredfunctionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedialcomponents. Likewise, any two components so associated can also beviewed as being “operably connected,” or “operably coupled,” to eachother to achieve the desired functionality.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that,based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from this invention and its broader aspects and,therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope allsuch changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scopeof this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that theinvention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will beunderstood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein,and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appendedclaims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if aspecific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such anintent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence ofsuch recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, evenif a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitlyrecited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitationshould typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number(e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations).

Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appendedclaims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A locking assembly comprising: anadjustably moveable elongated member having a generally oblongcross-section with a first end portion opposite a second end portion,each end portion being adjacent to a first side portion and an opposingsecond side portion; a collar having an interior channel with agenerally oblong cross-section, the interior channel defined by asidewall and a through-hole formed in the sidewall, wherein theelongated member is slidlingly received within the interior channel; acam pivotally coupled to the collar and configured to pivot between alocked position and an unlocked position; and a cam follower assemblycomprising a guard member, the cam follower assembly being positionedbetween the cam and the second end portion of the elongated member, andfurther being configured to be biased by the cam, wherein when the camis pivoted into the locked position, the cam biases the cam followerassembly toward the second end portion of the elongated member to applya locking force to one or more of the first side portion, the secondside portion, and the second end portion, thereby preventing theelongated member from adjustably moving along a path defined by theinterior channel.
 2. The locking assembly according to claim 1, furthercomprising a wear plate disposed within the interior channel between theelongated member and the sidewall of the collar generally opposite thecam follower assembly, wherein when the cam follower assembly appliesthe locking force, one or more of the first side portion, the secondside portion, and the first end portion bear on the wear plate.
 3. Thelocking assembly according to claim 2, wherein the wear plate comprisesone or more tabs and the collar comprises one or more recessesconfigured to receive the one or more tabs.
 4. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 3, wherein the wear plate hangs within the interiorchannel by the one or more tabs received in the one or more recesses. 5.The locking assembly according to claim 2, wherein the wear plate isgenerally I-shaped.
 6. The locking assembly according to claim 2,wherein the wear plate is contoured to conform to the shape of theelongated member.
 7. The locking assembly according to claim 2, whereinthe wear plate is bent longitudinally to define a longitudinallyextending midsection flanked on a first side by a first flange andflanked on a second side by a second flange.
 8. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 7, wherein the first and second flanges areconfigured to bear against the elongated member and resist rotation ofthe elongated member within the collar.
 9. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the cam comprises a handle having a gripportion and a biasing portion.
 10. The locking assembly according toclaim 9, wherein the locked position corresponds to the handle beinglocated in its lowest possible position.
 11. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 9, wherein the biasing portion comprises asubstantially cylindrically shaped cam having an eccentric open-endedchannel extending longitudinally therethrough.
 12. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 1, wherein the cam follower assembly furthercomprises a force distribution member.
 13. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 12, wherein the cam follower assembly furthercomprises a mechanical fuse.
 14. The locking assembly according to claim13, wherein the force distribution member comprises a recess to receivethe mechanical fuse.
 15. The locking assembly according to claim 13,wherein the force distribution member comprises an interior recess thatforms a cavity under the mechanical fuse into which the mechanical fusemay bend when pressure is applied to the mechanical fuse.
 16. Thelocking assembly according to claim 13, wherein the mechanical fusecomprises a square plate having a height and width in the range ofapproximately 0.95 inches to approximately 1.15 inches and a thicknessof approximately 0.15 inches.
 17. The locking assembly according toclaim 12, wherein portions of the guard member are positioned betweenthe force distribution member and the elongated member.
 18. A lockingassembly comprising: an adjustably moveable elongated member having agenerally oblong cross-section with a first end portion opposite asecond end portion, each end portion being adjacent to a first sideportion and an opposing second side portion; a collar comprising: aninterior channel with a generally oblong cross-section, the interiorchannel defined by a sidewall; a through-hole formed in the sidewall;and a housing formed on the sidewall and constructed to provide achannel-shaped structure around the through-hole, wherein the elongatedmember is slidlingly received within the interior channel; a campivotally coupled to the housing and configured to pivot between alocked position and an unlocked position; and a cam follower assemblycomprising a guard member, the cam follower assembly being positioned atleast partially within the housing and between the cam and the secondend portion of the elongated member, and further being configured to bebiased by the cam, wherein when the cam is pivoted into the lockedposition, the cam biases the cam follower assembly toward the second endportion of the elongated member to apply a locking force to one or moreof the first side portion, the second side portion, and the second endportion, thereby preventing the elongated member from adjustably movingalong a path defined by the interior channel.
 19. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 18, further comprising a connector that pivotallycouples the cam to the housing.
 20. The locking assembly according toclaim 19, wherein the connector comprises an eccentric pivot pin. 21.The locking assembly according to claim 20, wherein the eccentric pivotpin comprises first and second end portions sharing a longitudinalcenter axis “α” and an eccentric portion with a longitudinal center axis“β,” wherein “α” and “β” are not aligned.
 22. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 21, wherein the cam comprises a handle having a gripportion and a biasing portion with an open-ended channel, and whereinthe eccentric portion of the eccentric pivot pin is disposed within theopen-ended channel in the biasing portion of the handle.
 23. The lockingassembly according to claim 21, wherein the housing comprises first andsecond apertures aligned by their centers, and wherein the first andsecond end portions of the eccentric pivot pin are disposed within thefirst and second apertures of the housing.
 24. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 21, wherein the rotational position of the eccentricpivot pin about longitudinal center axis “α” determines the position ofthe handle relative to the collar.
 25. The locking assembly according toclaim 21, wherein the rotational position of the eccentric pivot pinabout longitudinal center axis “α” determines the magnitude of forceapplied by the cam to the cam follower.
 26. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 18, wherein the cam follower assembly furthercomprises a force distribution member.
 27. The locking assemblyaccording to claim 26, wherein the cam follower assembly furthercomprises a mechanical fuse.
 28. The locking assembly according to claim27, wherein the force distribution member comprises a recess to receivethe mechanical fuse.
 29. The locking assembly according to claim 27,wherein the force distribution member comprises an interior recess thatforms a cavity under the mechanical fuse into which the mechanical fusemay bend when pressure is applied to the mechanical fuse.
 30. Thelocking assembly according to claim 27, wherein the mechanical fusecomprises a square plate having a height and width in the range ofapproximately 0.95 inches to approximately 1.15 inches and a thicknessof approximately 0.15 inches.
 31. A locking assembly comprising: anadjustably moveable elongated member having a generally oblongcross-section with a first end portion opposite a second end portion,each end portion being adjacent to a first side portion and an opposingsecond side portion; a collar comprising: an interior channel with agenerally oblong cross-section, the interior channel defined by asidewall; a through-hole formed in the sidewall; and a housing formed onthe sidewall and constructed to provide a channel-shaped structurearound the through-hole, wherein the elongated member is slidlinglyreceived within the interior channel; a handle comprising a grip portionand a biasing portion pivotally coupled to the housing and configured topivot between a locked position and an unlocked position; and a camfollower assembly comprising a guard member, the cam follower assemblybeing positioned at least partially within the housing and between thebiasing portion of the handle and the second end portion of theelongated member, and further being configured to be biased by thebiasing portion, wherein when the handle is pivoted into the lockedposition, the biasing portion of the handle biases the cam followerassembly toward the second end portion of the elongated member to applya locking force to one or more of the first side portion, the secondside portion, and the second end portion, thereby preventing theelongated member from adjustably moving along a path defined by theinterior channel.